Kent Spitfires qualified for the final of the Twenty20 Cup after a closely fought victory over the Essex Eagles. Needing 174 to win, Essex could only muster 159 from their allocation of overs, despite an opening partnership of 78 between Mark Pettini and Ravi Bopara. The holders will now face Middlesex, who beat Durham by eight wickets to reach their first Twenty20 Cup final.

After winning the toss, Kent looked on course for a huge total, running along at 10 an over until three quick wickets brought Essex back into the game. Solid contributions were made throughout the order thereafter, but no batsman was able to provide the explosive impetus required and it took a few late boundaries to bring the Spitfires' score up to 173.

Essex have never made the Twenty20 final before, and despite a composed start to their reply they were effectively shackled by some tenacious Kent fielding. After Bopara departed for 29, wickets fell at regular intervals, and two disastrous run-outs hobbled their progress. From a position of apparent ascendancy, Essex's challenge eventually fell away as quickly as the run rate rose.

The final over arrived with 20 still required, and Yasir Arafat's six deliveries yielded just five runs. Kent can now celebrate their qualification for the proposed Champions League – issues of player eligibility notwithstanding – and a second outing at the Rose Bowl in a few hours' time.

Earlier, Kent's innings had begun with characteristic ferocity, Rob Key (20 from 12 balls) and Joe Denly (36 from 27) plundering 50 from the first five overs. With Danish Kaneria's introduction the Eagles began to impose some control however, despite Key taking successive fours from the Pakistan leg-spinner's first two deliveries. The next ball pegged back the Kent captain's leg-stump, and Kaneria picked up his second wicket when Arafat was caught trying to hit out.

The momentum swung as Denly perished soon after, neatly stumped down the leg-side off the bowling of James Middlebrook, and several Kent batsmen, including Martin van Jaarsveld (16) and Darren Stevens (29), then proceeded to get in and get out. Bopara took three wickets with his medium pace, and the Kent innings looked to be heading for a below-par score.

Justin Kemp and Ryan McLaren, who hit 10 off just three balls, boosted the Spitfires total, but, on a good pitch, Essex appeared to have wrested the advantage. That assumption was given further support as the Eagles' run chase got off to a steady beginning, Bopara and captain Pettini comfortably keeping on top of the asking rate of 8.65 an over. A wristy glance through the leg-side for four demonstrated Bopara's class, yet when he fell having hit five boundaries it brought Graham Napier to the crease. But the danger man was dismissed for three, superbly caught by Robert Key, leaving Essex requiring 89 from 56 deliveries.

Grant Flower was run out by Van Jaarsveld's brilliant piece of fielding and the same fate befell Pettini – whose 54 came from 47 balls – to leave Essex facing an uphill struggle. Kent's experience in the competition enabled them to effectively squeeze the Essex batsmen, James Foster (nine) and Ryan ten Doeschate (18) both succumbing to the pressure.

Bowlers Arafat and Azhar Mahmood proceeded to give little away at the death, finally strangling their opponent's hopes and ensuring another tilt at the trophy for the Spitfires.